US Airways raises online baggage fees

TEMPE, Ariz. — US Airways on Friday raised baggage fees for travelers who check their luggage online. The higher online fees match those set in recent days by Delta, Continental, and United.

US Airways said it will charge $23 to check the first bag online, and $32 to check the second. That’s an increase from the previous online checked bag fees of $20 and $30.

The fees to check bags at the airport are unchanged at the level set by US Airways in August — $25 for the first and $35 for the second. The increase in the past week by Delta, Continental, and United, brought their fees paid at the airport to the same level as US Airways.

American Airlines still charges $20 each way for a first bag, and $30 for the second. Southwest Airlines passengers can check two bags for free, and JetBlue passengers can check one for free.

Baggage fees began in 2008 as airlines struggled with high fuel prices. Baggage fees brought in $1.98 billion in revenue for the 10 largest airlines that collected them during the first three quarters of 2009, according to the Transportation Department. Almost $310 million of that was at US Airways Group Inc. alone.

Collecting more fees has not made airlines profitable, though. Next week airlines will report their most recent financial results. Southwest is the only big airline that analysts expect to report a 2009 profit.